I do loved and hated this winter week more than other. Why?

Yup, last week is the important date for Hokkaido, especially in Sapporo. Starting from 5-11 February 2015, Yuki Matsuri or Snow Festival had been held in Sapporo-Hokkaido.

This event is starting from 1950, and it was developed until the 66th in 2015. On this year, the event held in 3 place, Odori Park, Susukino, and Tsudome. In Odor Park, beside seeing the snow sculpture, there are music concert, skate rink, park air jump (the snowboard and free style ski performance), light show, cross country skiing course, scrumptious food, and international snow sculpture contest. In Susukino site, we can see the ice sculpture and enjoy the hot drink in Ice Bar. For the last site, Tsudome, we can enjoy the winter game and sport, such as sliding. There are 3 sliding sites, they are tube slide, ice slide, and waku-waku slide. We also can play in other sites such as bamboo ski, snowman labyrinth, snowman making, snow rafting, snow zip land, etc. And, “yatta” I got my foot stamp in all 3 sites.

One more experience about winter, it is bout winter sport, ski. Yup! Finally I have this experience. I did country ski with International Citizen Association in Ebetsu. We passed the Napporo Forest Park in the shortest distance about 1 km (maybe just in the outline of the forest). But, we spent about 1 -1.5 hours to finish the track. The first time, I just thought that it will be easy, because we are not skiing from the mountain, but it’s not that easy. I was the first person that fall after just “sliding” in 2 meters from starting point. The hardest part is to wake up from the ground after falling down. Our feet were attached hard in the board, so it is difficult to move. The trainees was Japanese persons, actually they are just the member of the association, but they do really expert. They are coaching us very well with their limitation in English (but some of them are very major in English). So, after 7 times felt down, finally I felt that I am majoring country ski now and I was really enjoying it. After getting some sweat from country ski activity then we have warming party, takoyaki cooking, Setsubun festival, and enjoying Koto Music performance. Wohooo,, what a great holiday.

Not only that, in this winter season (although I still have many experiment in the lab), finally I can go to 2 the most places that I want to see in Hokkaido, they are Otaru and Hitsujigauka Observation Hill. In those two site, there also some snow festival and snow activities. Such as in Hitsujigaoka, it was held snowman making, cross country ski, snow bowling, snowball war, etc. In Otaru, there are candle fastivals. So, in the Otaru canal and some main road, some snow sculpture has made and they put the candle as the light in the night, and it is very beautiful. The candle festival in Otaru will be held until Februari 15th 2015. What a golden week! Now, I knew the feeling how to love and enjoy this cold season (sometimes I felt bad for this season), by having the snow festivalJ. The festival that will not held in my beloved country Indonesia.

Yuppie,,

Now, the hate point...

After having fun in 3 days, travelling and enjoy winter festival. This week also, some of PARE students come back to their country (They are just back on Feb 11th, 2015). From Indonesia, Caca, Mada, Ria, Rara, Dailami, Philip, Sugi had made their return to Indonesia. It is very sad. But, that’s the reality, and soon I, Nisa, Sofa, Ulfi, and Yeni will come afterward.

Hmhm,, yup, I hate to know this fact. Sometimes, you have to leave but you don't want..

But, this is the fact that I have to accept.. Ganbattene!!!

The 1-month left is very great chance for me, for completing the research and also for (still) enjoying Japan’s life. Hope I can do my best.

Keep “ganbare!” everyone..

Big hug from Sapporo..

Yeah, it almost 6 months, and I’ll leave Sapporo soon..

Many stories have been created, sad or happy, such as “arubaito” time. Who doesn’t know about “arubaito” or part time job? In Japanese teenager, working part time is a culture. In the immigration unit, first I was asked by the employee, am I going to do part time job while studying in Hokkaido University. At that time, I said no, just thinking that I will not be able to communicate well in Japanese and also I will not have enough time. But I’ve just started “my arubaito” a month ago.

Maybe, it is not actual arubaito, but it closed with volunteer working. Yup! It is very different from common arubaito that usually talked in Japan.

On Saturday morning, usually at 10 am, we started our “work”, cleaning the snow or in Japanese called as “yuki oroshi”. I and many friends (max 8 people) will “climb” up to the roof of a church in Kita 8 area. Ria, Jun, Yeni, and Ulfi (other PARE students) also ever joined our arubaito. It was a great opportunity, at least I have the experience of earning money in Japan and also feel what’s the real life in Hokkaido as artic of Japan.

In our living place (dormitory), our manager and also the “snow car” will kindly “clean” all the snow bed so we can walk easily. But, it will be different case for your “ship like” roof of your home. The church roof have shape like a ship or bowl, that’s why the snow will fill in, get thicker, and heavier and it will broke the building sometime.  That’s why, the roof have to be cleaned at least every week, and especially after heavy snow raining.

The priest is so kind, his name is Kohno sensei,, and we just call it sensei. Usually, after our working time (10 am- 12 pm), sensei’s daughter, Tsubasa san, will served lunch for us. They are so kind, because I am Muslim and I can’t eat meat or alcohol, they will provided us food without meat or alcohol. Tsubasa san is very great chef. The menus are pizza, sushi, spaghetti, miso shiru, inari sushi, fusion sushi, salad, macaroni and pasta, mochi, and cake.  I liked all of them.

When we have lunch, it is my practical Japanese class. At that time, sensei and also Tsubasa san usually try to talk with us in very simple Japanese. And we also try to reply with our limited Japanese skill. But, i was so wonderful.

Beside getting the salary, lunch, sometimes, sensei also invited us to come to some Sapporo tourist spot. Last time, we went to Mount Moiwa and Okurayama Ski Jump. Sometimes, we also got a little prize, chocolate and candies. Wooo,, it is more than arubaito.. ^_^ I will miss it so much...

 

Additional "Salary" --> Choco and Candy

Hi, this is yunita’s writing.

Happy New Year! Hope this year will bring a good fortune for all of us, amiin..

So, how about your New Year party? About sending new year post card? Eating soba? And the most important is about your new goal?

Yaa, I will discuss a little bit about New Year goal.

Time passes so fast, and finally it just about 6 weeks left before I came back to Indonesia. In this left time, (I though) all of PARE student are in hurry. Most of us come to Hokkaido University to finishing our thesis, whether just for writing, for completing data, or starting the research here. The case for me is starting and finishing my thesis in Hokkaido University. So, what’s about your progress???

Let me said, from 1 to 10, maybe I just passed 5 points. Ya,, just a half! What did you do for the last 5 months? How can I say? Of course I did the experiment, I did my research. But, not everything in Japan goes smoothly.

Research is about solving, discovering or finding the answer for some problem. My “thesis” problem is about finding new method for making tempe that having good health benefit. Actually I started my research before I come to Japan. I made my own tempe in Indonesia, and dried it so I can bring it to Japan. After arriving in Japan, I started to do the experiment in my laboratory, trying to do the extraction of my tempe and then test my tempe extract in some assay to find the most impressive health benefit.

But, the way didn’t work smoothly. Some problem occurred in the process, such as failed to growth the cell, failed to extracts the lipid, failed in coloring lipid, failed to filter, and now failed to get the spectrum in HPLC.

Hahaha,, in somehow, I just want to cry but also want to laugh at myself. But, I don’t have any time for regret. The edge of the runway has been seen. Just smile and keep moving forward. These are the only ways to solve the research problem, so you can solve your thesis problem. Yup, this is my New Year goal, to solve my reserach probelm and solving the “hidden problem”. Hope I can finish and do my best for my thesis here and come back safely tin Indonesia, continue some experiment, writing thesis, seminar, and finally I will graduate on August 2015 ^_^...

Ganbarimashou!!

In Japan, Zemi or short of Zeminaru (in English is seminar) become a regular activities in every laboratory. Usually each laboratory has zemi once in a week. In my laboratory, one or two persons will present the review of a journal and then we discuss the journal together. We have the zemi once a week in Friday, started from 4 pm and usually it will be over around 6 pm. So, each person has to do the presentation around 15-20 minutes, and after that we discuss the journal around 40 minutes.

Beside Zemi, in my lab we also  have group meeting. Different from ZEMI, in group meeting it just a simple presentation that will spend 15 minutes.  In the last two week, I've also finished present my simple journal in Group Meeting.My journal was about soybean research in human. It was a simple journal but interesting ^_^

Last Friday (Dec 19th, 2014) is my turn to present the journal, and it also became the last Zemi in this year in my laboratory. Although I've already present journal in group meeting, but in Zemi it becomes so different. I was so nervous. My journal was about the key compounds that contribute in green tea taste. The journal title was “Identifying key non-volatile compounds in ready-to-drink (RTD) green tea and their impact on taste profile”. This journal was published in Food Chemistry Volume 155 page 9-16, 2014. From 7 RTD, the researcher got 39 compounds that may contribute to astringency, bitterness and umami taste of green tea. From 39 compounds, they eliminated un-important compound by dose-over-threshold (DOT) assay and taste-omission-test (TOT) and they obtained 4 key compounds. They are, astringent and bitter-tasting EGCG, bitter tasting caffeine, umami tasting L-glutamic acid, and “rounded” sensation Theanine.

Haha,, sorry It become a little bit serious ^_^

I was too nervous to present this paper and I didn’t prepare too much. The discussion started with the simple question. What’s the difference between sour and astringency? What is GMP? Why they choose EGCG not catechin? Is there any effect because of the differences of panelist nationality? And so on. Some of the question was estimated by me, but in some question I just only can say sorry. Haha,, so nervous.

I started my presentation at 4 pm, and it finished at 4.50 pm. Although I was not satisfied enough with my Zemi, but I can say “anshinshimashita”. Finally it’s over. ^_^

What I’ve learn at the day was about how important we select journal or about making decision. And if you already determined, so please prepare the presentation well and also be ready for the worst condition. If we presented one paper, it means that we should at least read and learn 10 supporting paper that related to our paper. Stand up proudly and keep smiling in discussion time. You are the best at that point!

So, now my focus is only to my research. Whatever the result, I shuld never give up! Keep moving forward. We’ve never known about the future; just believe that God will give us the best if we are also tried the best.

Ganbarimashou..

^_^

  

Last week Dec 9th, 2014 I and some PARE students (Charisa, Yeni, and Vannesa) joined a great seminar. International Forum aiming at Foundation of a New Graduate School of Global Food Resources: Perspectives of Contribution to Facing Crisis on Food, Water and Land Resources via Transdiciplinary Human Resources. It was because we selected the same lecture and this seminar was part of our lecture. This seminar was an international forum that prepared for the “birth” of new major in Hokkaido University (A New Graduate School of Global Food Resources) on April 2017. In this seminar, we are tried to “shape” the new concept of an emerging graduated student characteristics as the goal of the new graduated school.

The committee had invited 5 speakers.  They are Dr. Masa Iwanaga from Japan International Research Center of agriculture Science (JIRCAS), Mr. Hiroshi Nagano from Global Service Forum-Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Dr.Sharon P.Shoemaker from Universitu of California-Davis USA, Dr. Gretchen Kalonji from United Nations Educational Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and also from Embassy of France in Japan.

The speaker told her/his experience about world condition and its relationship with our position (graduated student). Dr. Mas Iwanaga told that today was very different from the “ancient” age. In past, we have green revolution to fulfill our food needed. But, it is not compatible anymore. From green we have to move to the “rainbow revolution”. Although green revolution gave good effect in maintaining food stock, but it also brought bad effect. Green revolution made population increase, income increase, but in addition it also reduces environmental quality, global warming issue, triple burden of food problems (hunger, malnutrition, obesity). Now, we are facing the global challenges: 1. Increase productivity, 2. Natural resources base protectsà sustainability, 3. Climate change, 4. Globalization and emerging world.  Those challenges were a big “homework” for all of people in the world, especially the “promising great generation”, Yes, that’s we are!

What did we learn in PARE program was very enchanting trough this seminar (or this seminar them has been enchanted to PARE). I do feel very grateful to join PARE programs, because I feel fortune, I know this issue early and we already learnt about it.

From Mr Hiroshi Nagano, we were been encourage to learn from oversea! Go to study aboard and feel “the energy” there. It was important to get involved in diversity culture as early as possible. He also suggests to learn English very well as early as possible. Those two points that I marked was very pointed to PARE program too. Wow, what a great of PARE program that already answered all of the challenges.

The seminar was joined by many great people. Almost the entire professor in Graduate School of 

agriculture came to the seminar, include Hatano sensei. I’ve learn from this seminar that we have to really think global, although we will only work “local”. We have to work together to save the world. It sounds that PARE student will be the HERO. ^_^

But, I do hope so. All of us will be the HERO not only to ourselves, family, university but also our nations.    

Ganbarimashou!!! ^_^ 

First,

Let me say sorry because my late submission for 2nd November report..

Second,

In my 1st November report I wrote about Indonesian Cultural Night, and because almost all of my Indonesian PARE friends, already told you about the “Day” (the awsome day for Indonesian ^_^). So, let me say sorry again because I will not re-write about Indonesian Cultural Night event anymore.

Third

Although I will not write about Indonesian Cultural Night event (drama, or angklung), my report is still have some correlation with that event. Yup, it is also about culture, especially about food.

In Indonesian cultural night, we (Indonesian) were not only giving performance (drama, angklung, and traditional dance), but also we served food. Food is the most important thing that has a great correlation about culture. Just remember this short sentence: you are what you eat! Food shows your culture!

In the Indonesia cultural night we provided the best Indonesian foods to the audience. They are (my version name) nasi liwet, ayam krengsengan, sayur acar kuning, telur dadar dan tempe orek. In some place, maybe they call this menu with other name ^_^. Many of the audience said that it was so delicious, oishii.

The uniqueness and specialness of food taste will be something that missed by food lover. And for some people, this can be one reason why they should come to other country. The unique and special seasoning is the secret of food flavor in each country. Each country has secret ingredient. Such as, in Indonesia we have “bawang brambang” or small red onion, etc. This onion is used together with garlic and added with other seasoning. For Japan, they usually use dashi, miso, or shoyu as the secret ingredients, and for Thailand maybe basil and kaffir lime leaves (please correct me if I a wrong ^_^).

Besides the seasoning, other secret ingredient is raw material. Those special ingredient only can be obtained in that certain country. Such as, for Japan they are the best in seafood. Although we can have sushi in our origin country, but we will never taste the best sushi if it is not in Japan. For Thailand, I thought that the best “mango sticky rice” dessert also only available in Thai. Thai is famous because of its good agricultural product. 

And for Indonesia, I have a lot of food that I missed so much. I do miss bakso, soto, rawon, rendang, tempe mendoan, gado-gado, opor, pempek, gudek, etc. But, among all of them I do miss tempe mendoan with tempe as the secret ingredient.

And, for the last..

For everyone who loves eating (^_^)

Have the challenge to taste all of the best world food and satisfy your “tongue”!

But never forget your own food (I’m sure, although we said that other country food is good, but the best food for us is our origin country food)! Love it and appreciate it (one of the ways is research about it)!

                                                                   

^_^

It is tomorrow!

(sorry, it’s maybe too late for postingà But I do really want to share about our preparation)..

Yup,, it is our big event! As the foreign student in the foreign country, it is become a big honor to present our culture in front of other international student. But, we are trying our best!

PPIH (Perhmpunan Pelajar Indonesia Hokkaido), the name of Indonesian Student Association in Hokkaido (more information, please visit our web http://www.blog.ppi-hokkaido.org/, held Indonesian Cultural Night Event (Malam Budaya Indonesia), once in two years. This year, we will have the event on Saturday, November 22 2014. It will be different from the last event (2012). In the last event, we present Indonesian traditional dance, Indonesians food festival, Indonesian traditional clothes, etc. But, for this year event beside traditional dance and food festival, we will also have Indonesian drama based on Indonesian folklore. The story is about 1000 temple, named Prambanan temple. It is located in border area of Yogyakarta (Prambanan, Sleman) and Central Java (Klaten) on Java Island.

In Indonesian folklore, the temple was built as present for Roro Jonggrang princess as her marriage pre-requirement. Bandung Bondowoso (The Pengging Kingdom prince) had to build 1000 temple in one night (before the sun is rise), if he wanted to marry Roro Jonggran Princess. The story was amused, it include love story, battle of power, and also magic. For performing this story, all Indonesian students practiced and prepared a lot. All of Indonesian PARE student member join the event and give our best effort. We will not only play a role, but we will also sing and play Indonesian traditional musical instrument called Angklung. 

Angklung was originated from West Java. It differs from other musical instrument, because angklung is single tone musical instrument. We have to play angklung together to make a good music. Angklung is symbol of harmony and also can be part of “sustainability of environment”. We can’t live by your own-self and we have to connect with other. Bamboo also symbol of eco-friendly life style and symbol of strangeness. It is suit well with PARE Program idea and as our spirit for living overseas (Keep strong for everything!) We do love to play this musical instrument. Here part of our practicing time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUABtEtw2wE. 

The time passed soon, and it will be just tomorrow. The tickets of our performance are also already sold out about 3 days ago. We do hope that we can perform our best and all of the audience will be satisfied.

See you there...

Maybe the first question sometimes asked by your friend in your own country to you after seeing some of your photo or status about Japan. Related to this question, the Japanese people maybe also ask other question to you “あなたは誰ですか” (second question)à anata wa dare desu ka? Or in English “Who are you?”.

So, after finishing Summer School, finishing movement to the Dorm, it’s the time for introducing my laboratory. As PARE Program student, I was accepted as special auditor student at Laboratory of Food Biochemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University. I will do my thesis research in this laboratory for 6 months. Not only doing research, I will also take some class to get credits. I was accepted by Kawabata sensei (Jun Kawabata) to join his laboratory. For my experiment, Kato sensei (Eisuke Kato) will be the laboratory supervisor and help me for the discussion. And now, my life in Japan was about my laboratory.

 

My Laboratory

Staying in Japan especially as exchange student, it will bring a great experience. Not only about daily life experience in foreign country, but also about the academic culture. In Japan, they have “welcome party”, a special party held to “accept” the new students. In my laboratory, I just already had my welcome party on October 17th 2014. Not only in intern-laboratory, but this welcome party also held by the faculty and other student organization. Starting in party, it is a good chance for us to talk and have some conversation with Japanese so we can get closer each other.

My welcome party

Other culture is about supporter. As the foreign students, Hokkaido University help us by “giving” us Japanese friend (called as Supporter) to help ourselves being settled in Japan. My supporter is Machikawa san, he is also member of our laboratory. He picked me up in the airport when I’ve arrived in Japan. He helped me to open the bank account, make resident card, pay assurance, etc. It’s very helpful. Although he is not my senpai (teaching for experiment for me) but he also like to help me in laboratory.

Beside welcome party, other academic cultures that I’ve learn here is about “senpai”. Senpai is just not “senior”. I have Japanese senpai (Takemoto san) and Indonesian senpai (Lucy san and Ines san) in my laboratory. They are not only taught me about the experiment methods, but also about the laboratory’s daily living. Just like Takemoto san, she was not only teaching me about “lipase inhibitory” assay, but she took care about my special food (Halal Food) in welcome party. She is also so kind, and help me to translate in English if someone talk me in Japan. Beside my senpai, other members also like to help me in laboratory and having some conversation. 

In my laboratory, we also have “zemi” or weekly seminar. Every week, there will be 2 presenters that will present about a journal and we discuss it together. Although they will speak in Japanese, but at least they prepare for the handout and the presentation slide in English.

In this laboratory I will have research about tempe, Indonesian traditional food. My laboratory is focusing on searching and synthesis of anti-obesity and or anti diabetes compound. But, in my research I just do the initial screening process of anti-obesity and or anti-diabetes activity from tempe. Actually I want to finish until final stage (identification of compound), but I don’t have enough time. By this short time (6 months), my sensei (Kato sensei) suggests me to only doing the initial screening but in many different assays. I do enjoy my laboratory life. I have many “funny” friends and I can learn more here.

My desk :)

So, if my Indonesians friend asked me “What are you doing there?” けんきょうします。And for the second question (asked by Japanese) “あなたは誰ですか” I am PARE program student that will doing research in Laboratory of Food Biochemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture under supervisor Kawabata sensei.” 

So, Let’s enjoy your laboratory activity and being success!

A month ago, August 24, 2014 we came in Japan. In the first 2-week, we spent our time in many places in Hokkaido. We stayed at Sapporo House YH in Kita 8 for a week, and then we moved to Greenpia Onuma in Mori Machi (Mori City), and the last we stay at Classe Stay Sapporo Station in 8-1 Kita 10 Nishi 1 Kita-ku Sapporo. In addition, because I was in agricultural subject, I also spent 4 days in livestock farm of Hokkaido University, in Shizunai, Hidaka sub prefecture.

I stay at Building 2 (the newest building-construction in 2010) in room number 609 (6th floor). The security level of this building is very high. Finger print is the “key” for entering the building and also the room. We have to put our finger in finger detection machine to enter the building. And for the rooms, each floor consists of 8 rooms that divided into 2 wings. Each wing has the “wing” door (I don’t know the name, so just call it as wing door) that also need finger print for opening. Only finger print from person who lived there that can open the “wing” door. And we have our room key. So, just like I can enter the building, enter my “wing”, enter my room, but I can’t enter other wings and rooms. They also have CCTV camera in elevator and many places. It is very strict. This dormitory provides us many good facilities. In each wing we have common room (include TV), kitchen, laundry (2 machines), toilet (3), shower (2), and shoe box. In our room we have bed, desk, chair, bookshelf, refrigerator (it is big), private sink, electric heating, curtains, phone and optical fiber Internet. So, we can have the internet connection easily (it is become main needed now). For the phone we can use it to call other student phone, so just in the building. Other facilities are bike parking area and mailbox. And because this building is just 4 years old, so everything is just like new!

So,,, 

This is my first "Hokkaido Story"..

Let we see for the next story in 5 months,, ^_^

じゃまったね。。。

Yunita Siti Mardhiyyah

PARE ID: PARE 26-002